20000126

Desilting to boost

agri produce,

says Brig Ghazali

HAFEEZ SHEIKH

HYDERABAD: Brig Asif Ghazali of the Pakistan Army Engineering Corps has said that the GHQ had chalked out a comprehensive plan for the desilting of canals with a view to boosting agricultural produce.

Briefing newsmen about the ongoing desilting campaign at the annexe of the Local Circuit House, he said that the task of desilting canals under the command areas of Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages had been entrusted to 5-Corps.

Explaining the objectives of the desilting by Pakistan Army, Brig Ghazali said it were to ensure sufficient water supply at the tail-ends of the distributories and minors, to ensure equitable distribution of water by rectification of tampered/owersized outlets (mogas), to ensure successsful execution of desilting operation involving minimum financial expenditures and de-weeding/debris clearance of drains.

He said the response from the farmers' organisations, the NGOs the administration, the people at large and press was not only unprecedented but phenomenal.

He said where the army had expected the participation of only 50 people, there were 200 to help in the desilting campaign.

Brig. Ghazli said that the main focus was on the canals falling within the Command Area of the Sukkur Barrage and added that the work would be completed by the end of January. He said in lower Sind the desilting campaign would be completed by April 2000.

He said the usual annual target of desilting by the Irrigation Department is 30 percent but this target had been increased to 50 percent.

Giving details, he said, 4,003 miles of channels would be desilted out of which 2,528 miles would be desilted through the use of Irrigation machinery under army supervision whereas 1,475 miles will be desilted by troops and locals on self-help basis.

About financial estimates, the Brigadier said that the initial calculations were Rs. 132 million but the government had revised these estimates to only Rs. 70 million.

He said that about 10,000 troops had been deployed along with heavy machinery on the desilting campaign and monitoring and coordination centres had been set up at provincial level and at Hyderabad and Pannu Aqil.

Brig Ghazali lauded the role of farmers orgnaisations, NGOs and civil administration and said that the press/media had played a vital role in the desilting campaign by creating awareness among the people and motivating them.

Irrigation Secretary Idrees Rajput said that up to 10 percent penalty would be imposed on zamindars who had tampered with the outlets.

About the illegally sanctioned water courses, the secretary said the Sindh High Court had held that no notices had been served on those who had been sanctioned water cources and therefore, the cancellation of these water courses was not proper.

The secretary, however, said that after the completion of legal formalities, a new ordinance is on the anvil under which the offence of tampering with outlets and water thefts had been specified as non-bailable offences.

Answering a question, Rajput said that 10 percent to 15 percent more area would be brought under cultivation with a corresponding increase in productivity.

Answering another question whether the Abyana (water charges) was being subsidised, Rajput pointed out that the expenses under different heads pertaining to agriculture sector were at least fourt times more than the amount recovered as Abyana.